everything comes crashing down
by be-my-guardian-angel
Summary: It's amazing how your life can go from amazingly beautiful to horribly wrong within a matter of minutes. Second entry for 7DOVP; Tandre this time.


**cold**

_/kōld/_

_adjective_

**a** **:** having or being a temperature that is uncomfortably low for humans; "it is _cold_ outside today?" or "a _cold_ drafty attic".

**b** **:** marked by a lack of the warmth of normal human emotion, friendliness, or compassion; "a _cold_ stare".

* * *

><p>It's amazing how your life can go from amazingly beautiful to horribly wrong within a matter of minutes.<p>

It all started on a snowy Friday evening in New York. After a nice dinner at _Papa Italiano_, the newest Italian restaurant in Madison Square, 23 year-old Andre Harris and his girlfriend, Tori, walked down the street to get to their car and head home after a long but pleasant date night. They'd gone to see the latest Hunger Games movie, had a snowball fight in the park, and then shortly after grabbing some coffee to warm up, had gone over to the restaurant.

"Thanks for the dinner, Andre." Tori said whilst she smiled, slipping her small hand into Andre's larger one. "I appreciate it, really."

Andre smiled as he squeezed her hand. "It was no problem, Tor. I had a great time."

Tori blushed, although she didn't know why. Andre always had that effect on her ever since their high school days at Hollywood Arts.

Although Andre didn't think so, Tori often times considered herself lucky to have him. It was the greatest feeling in the world, being in a relationship with someone that treated you like an absolute queen. After going through so many difficulties with past relationships, Tori wasn't even sure if her heart would be able to love again.

But through it all, Andre was there for her. He always promised her that no matter what happened he'd always be there. And thus far, he had.

"Hey beautiful, what are you thinking about?" Andre asked her with a soft smile.

Tori laughed as she looked at him. "You."

Andre grinned and pecked her lips. "Good things, I hope?"

"As always." A suddenly brisk wind blew through the air, making Tori shiver. "It sure is chilly out here…"

"Need my jacket?" He asked, ready to remove it.

"No thanks, but where is the car, anyways? We've been walking forever it seems like—"

Suddenly, two sharp cracks that sounded like explosions pierced the night air, startling Tori instantly as she abruptly stopped walking. Her brown eyes searched the darkness of the neighborhood for any sign of where the sound had come from, but all she saw were the blustery winds blowing snowflakes onto her face and purple pea coat.

"Andre, did you hear that—?" Tori's voice immediately trailed off as she looked down. She felt as though someone had punched her in the gut and knocked all of the air out of her.

Her hands started to shake uncontrollably; her brain couldn't function properly as she stared down at the still form of her boyfriend lying in the snow.

Somehow she knew what had happened as she dropped down to her knees, but her mind didn't want to accept it. The only sound she could hear in that moment was Andre's pained and labored breathing.

Her shaking fingers slowly reached to unzip his jacket.

Blood.

"T-Tori…" Andre began, his voice barely above a whisper. "C-call an a-ambulance n-now."

Tori's lips trembled. "But—"

Andre squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of excruciating pain passed through his abdomen. "_Tori._ Do it now."

Tori grabbed her phone and dialed 911 as the first of many tears slid down her face. Why hadn't she been paying attention? How didn't she realize that those were gunshots?

Why did this have to happen on a night like tonight?

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My boyfriend just got shot!" She sobbed into the phone, eyes blurring due to the onslaught of tears. Gently she eased his head onto her lap, trying to do whatever she could to make him relax even though the pain was excruciating. "W-we were walking home and someone shot him. I couldn't see who it was because it's snowing really hard but you have to get an ambulance here, please!"

"Okay, sweetheart, just calm down and follow my instructions, okay? Now is he awake? Is he still breathing?"

"I-I think so," She pressed a hand to Andre's forehead, ignoring the pain that was drilling into her head. He was burning hot. His dark skin glistened with sweat as he struggled to keep his eyes open. "Andre? Babe, open your eyes. You've got to keep your eyes open until the paramedics get here, okay?"

"Tori, I can't." He coughed, the simple action making him groan in pain. "It's too hard…"

"Honey, I'm going to need you to keep him awake for me. Do not let him close his eyes, you hear?" said the dispatcher on the other end of the phone. "How much blood has he lost?"

Tori pushed away the sides of his coat and wailed. The bloodstain had grown considerably larger since she first looked at it. Was there anything she could use to make a tourniquet? "A lot. He's losing a lot. He doesn't want to keep his eyes open. Please, ma'am, he's dying. Can't you bring an ambulance? Aren't you bringing an ambulance?"

Suddenly, the connection grew distorted. "…as fast as we can, Tori. Keep him awake."

"I'm trying!" She insisted. "He's not—_Andre!" _In horror Tori dropped the phone as the rise and fall of his chest ceased. His eyes were closed, the expression of pain having been lifted from his face.

He lay very still.

"_No,_ _no,_ _no_!" She cried desperately, grabbing his large hand and pressing it to her cheek. "Stay with me, Andre! Wake up, _please_! You've got to wake up!"

Sirens wailed in the distance, but Tori couldn't hear them. Her mind was numb, her spirit crushed.

"Please, Andre." She said, voice barely above a whisper. "You can't leave me. Not now, okay? Please."

Andre didn't open his eyes.

"Oh dear God, no." Tori whispered, her chest tightening with an unexplainable pain.

Hesitantly, she pressed her hand to his forehead again.

It was very cold.


End file.
